


Love Molecule

by easterlily16



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Doctor AU, M/M, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-11-21 22:14:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11366712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/easterlily16/pseuds/easterlily16
Summary: "We're the same, Yuuri. We both work as a doctor, and both of us rare genetical occurrences.""Surely you can't put alpha and omega on a same standing, Victor."





	1. Yuuri Katsuki: Omega

It was one of those rare moments Yuuri was actually grateful of the fact he was an omega.  
  
The boy in front of him was barely 16 years old and was just at the right period of his growth spurt. From his appearance alone, Yuuri would guess he was just like any other boys his age, with his hair dyed blond with a streak of red on his bangs, with his school uniform set purposefully sloppy, with bold and tacky accessories of every kind on his wrists. He was a perfectly normal 16-year-old boy.  
  
_Was_.  
  
Until his heat came.  
  
Yuuri knew the first time for everything was always the worst. And the first heat was even worst-er, if that even an actual word. It was the moment an omega finally realized what it actually meant to be one; the moment where all control over their own mind was lost, where their body betrayed all logic and moral and shamelessly looked for release, where their instinct won over their so-called intelligence. And humans without their wisdom were not humans. They were just animals, whose only instinct was to survive and, in this case, through procreation. Call it an exaggeration, but that was how people valued omegas: beings born for the sake of reproduction. And it was a harsh truth Yuuri had learned to live with all his life.   
  
However, it was only at times such as this that a lowly omega like himself could stand tall and proud of his identity. While the alphas and betas alike lost their mind when faced with an omega in heat, only omegas could remain unfazed. An omega's pheromone did not affect other omegas. Yuuri knew this fact. And he used it to his advantage.  
  
"...'s hot..." the boy muttered. His voice was barely a whisper, but Yuuri could hear the fear and the begging for help in his voice even through the thick glasses wall between them. "H-help... doctor..."  
  
The pheromone was thick and heavy and stale, enough to suffocate anyone who breathed it in and strip them out of their right mind. Yuuri could not smell it, but he could sense how bad the situation was by the way his partner ran out of the room. Yuuri guessed the anti-pheromone mask did have an effect to some point after all. At least it let them keep some of their senses and act accordingly before their instinct took over. Yuuri did not really need the mask, but he wore one anyway. One of the procedural protocol, they told him.  
  
Once Yuuri was alone in the room, he locked the door behind him (he would not risk someone interrupting him in the middle of the treatment) and started unlocking the door to the glass box where the boy was. The 'glass box' was actually a 4-meter-square room with thick glasses walls and only one door, specially made for the sake of observation for omegas in their heat. The door had an electronic lock that could only be opened from the outside and not without a password only certain staffs know about. And Yuuri was one of them.  
  
_301019..._  
  
The door was unlocked with a 'beep' and Yuuri stepped in, kneeling beside the younger omega. "Hey, Minami, how do you feel?" Yuuri asked very casually, as if he was asking about the weather.  
  
The boy, Minami, looked at Yuuri with eyes fogged with lust and helplessness, and Yuuri could see tears building up in them. Slowly he moved one of his arms that were hugging his body to clutch on Yuuri's coat sleeve. "...doctor, ple-please... my body feels...strange. It's hot... It's painful... I'm scared..."  
  
Yuuri smiled understandingly and ran one of his gloved hands through Minami's hair. He had gone through the same thing as this boy and it sure was not a pleasent experience. There were many options of treatments to control their heat nowadays, but the side effects were not minor, ranging from vomiting, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, loss of consciousness, to seizure. The stronger and faster the medicine works, the worse the side effects. And it pained him that in cases such Minami's, the fast-acting one was the best choice to quickly suppress his pheromone. Of course, a long-acting drug would be needed as maintenance, but that would be for later. For now, Yuuri needed to give him his medicine then observe for later course of action.  
  
Yuuri took one of Minami's arms, rolling the loose sleeve of the hospital gown up his shoulder, revealing the boy's upper arm. He swiped an alcohol pad across Minami's arm and readied the syringe against the boy's deltoid. "This's going to hurt a little," he told the younger boy before injecting the medicine.  
  
It was five minutes later that Minami's expression started to relax. His flushed skin calmed down, his breathing evened, and Yuuri could almost hear a sigh of relief coming out of the boy before he slowly fell into slumber. Yuuri rose up to his feet and went to prepare the boy's next medication. He put the boy on an intravenous fluid drip and connected the intravenous catheter to a syringe pump filled with the long-acting medicine to maintain his pheromone and to keep it under control. Yuuri checked the boy's vital signs one last time and after making sure they were normal, he tucked the boy in with the provided hospital blanket and left the glass box and the observational room.  
  
Outsise the door, Yuuri was met with two pairs of worried eyes of Minami's parents and one pair of scrutinizing eyes of his colleague. Yuuri decided to pay no heed to the latter and turned to the couple, explaining their son's condition, the medication he took, and that he needed to observe the boy for another hour or so before he could be sent to regular ward. The couple breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the two doctors.

Not long after, Yuuri and his colleague were called for incoming new patients in the ER. A 43-year-old beta female coming with loss of consciousness after slipping and hitting her head on the bathroom floor. Followed by a 62-year-old beta man with dangerously high blood pressure and weakness of his left side. Then a 6-year-old alpha male who accidentally zipped his pants along with his peepee, 3-year-old beta male with high fever and seizure. The list went on. Patients kept coming in, giving no time to rest and no room to breath for the two doctors. By the time the flow of patients had slowed down, it was 4 pm and the end of their shift.  
  
Yuuri and his colleague retired to the changing room once the team for the next shift came. Yuuri took off his lab coat and scrub, put on his own clothes, and walked past his colleague and out of the room with a quiet, "I'll be going first," receiving an, "Mmn," as a reply.  
  
All Yuuri had in mind at the moment was for him to get home, strip out of his sweaty clothes, take a bath, and have a warm dinner while watching tv with his dog, Vicchan. Aah~ just the thought of it made it felt like all the tiredness was worth it. It was only when he was about to get on the bus that he realized his phone was not in his pocket or anywhere else and he begrudgingly traced his steps back toward the hospital in search of his lost phone. Yuuri had not found his phone when he arrived back at the hospital and the changing room was the last place he had yet to check. So that was where he went. He was standing in front of the changing room door with his hand hovering over the door knob when he heard voices from inside. He heard, "Heat," "The box," "Omega," and "Katsuki Yuuri." Yuuri stopped at the mention of his name.  
  
"...were treating me as if I was an after thought. Seriously, man. I was there as well, but that Katsuki took all the credits." Yuuri recognized the voice as his partner from this morning shift. "Why did this hospital even accept an omega as a doctor? I bet you he seduced the higher ups or something. What were they thinking? With his heat and all, he should just stay at home and do us all a favor. What if he gets his heat while on duty? He'll be the one inside the box by then."  
  
Yuuri could hear laughter from the other side of the door, loud and obnoxious. Before he could hear any more, he turned on his heels and walked away and ran out of the hospital, looking down at his feet in hope no one saw the tears he felt building in his eyes.

Yuuri was already out of earshot when another voice came. "To be honest, I actually don't think he's that bad," said the voice.  
  
"What, Pitchit? Are you taking the omega’s side?"  
  
"I’m not taking the omega’s side, nor am I taking yours, mind you," Pitchit retorted. "I just think Yuuri’s amazing. You know I took my omega treatment training with him, right? He scored the highest in our period. I don’t care if he’s an alpha, a beta, or an omega. Heck, he might as well be a gamma, but I have to give it to him that he’s amazing.” Pitchit only received an annoyed scoff in reply.  
  
***** *** *****  
  
Yuuri's heat came earlier than he had expected. It usually came once every three months with the interval of 90 days plus minus two. It had only been 82 days since his last heat, which was not a big difference, but because Yuuri had usually planned out a ten-day leave far before the expected date of his heat, someone had to take over his shifts due to his sudden absence and most people did not like being called for work at the last minute. Yuuri was going to need to apologize when he started working again.  
  
Yuuri laid in his bed, beads of sweats flowing out of every pore of his body. His body felt uncomfortably hot, but the heat coming from inside his body could not be reduced by mere antipiretics. His head was fogged and his mind was muddled. Once every few seconds his thought went back to the growing bulge in his pants and the wetness of his behind. Yuuri had relieved himself quite a few times today, but his body was still itching to be touched and it did not seem to be going away soon.  
  
Yuuri rolled over to his side, his eyes fell on the white plastic box on the nightstand next to his bed. Yuuri had taken the morning dose of his heat medication and even though the symptoms had lessen quite considerably, it was still as sufferable as it could be. It was not for the next 4 hours until his evening dosage and he did not want to risk himself getting overdosed.  
  
He could take the fast-acting medicine, but that would mean him vomiting himself to dehydration. How did he know? It happened before. Twice when he was in high school and once during his university years. And two out of those three times, he was hospitalized due to dehydration. He came to a conclusion that his body was somewhat hyperly sensitive to fast drugs which resulted in stronger side effects and him having to rely solely on oral medications. It was good that all his patients so far had been taking the fast drugs well. Even Minami, the omega boy he treated last time tolerated the drug without any major side effects...  
  
_Right... that omega boy..._  
  
The thought of that omega boy suddenly pulled him back to the conversation he had heard that day. Something about him being an omega and a nuisance. Yuuri chuckled darkly to himself. Part of him agreed to what the man said.  
  
An omega working in the health service was, indeed, strange. Omegas, born with rare recessive genes, were little in number to begin with, and when there was one, most of them had difficulty in gaining higher education due to their constant absence, and, consequently, proper employment.  
  
Yuuri was fortunate enough to be born in a supportive beta family. His beta father was full of smile and wisdoms. His beta mother was kind and loving and loved teaching him all sorts of things. His beta sister was a caring delinquent who was ready to punch anyone's face that bullied or even badmouthed Yuuri. And truly, Yuuri was more than thankful for that.  
  
However, at the back of his mind, Yuuri knew that no matter what they did, there was no way for him to change the way other people think.  
  
To his family, he was a son and a brother. But to other people, he was no more than an omega. And as much as Yuuri would like to deny them, they were probably true. The throbbing pain in his pants and the way he rutted himself against his bed, his fingers, or anything for relief was proof enough of his identity.  
  
**He was an omega.**   _He never wanted to become one._   **He needed release.**   _Or he could ignore it until it goes away on his own._   **He longed for an alpha to hold him.**   _He could take care of himself just fine._ **He wanted sex.**   _No,_   _he did not._   **He craved for it.**   _He knew he did not. He should not._ ** _He needed it. He wanted it._**

Million thoughts crossed his mind, but in the end, his instinct won over. Yuuri wrapped a trembling hand around his length. He reluctantly moved his hand up and down, and back and forth, and he could feel himself getting hotter and harder and throbbing with each motion. And  _fuck,_ it felt  **so**  good Yuuri let out a moan he had not known he had kept in. Driven by the pleasure, Yuuri tightened his grip and picked up its pace. His other hand crawled into his pants and down his ass, searching for that spot that pleasured him the most. It was not long for him to find it, wet and dripping and twitching and begging. Yuuri slowly inserted one finger into himself, thrusting it in smoothly a few times before feeling it was not enough. He put in a second finger, letting it deep into him and curled his fingers. Yuuri gasped and curved himself in pleasure.  _Yes, that was it._  Yuuri repeated the actions, faster and more vigorous with each second passing. He reached the peak with a loud moan, barely muffled by the pillow he bit with the little common sense he had left.  
  
When the surge of dopamine had subsided, he felt himself relaxed as he laid sluggishly on his bed, hands covered in his own semen. He peeled a tissue off the box he had prepared on the nightstand, wiping the cum off his palms and lazily threw the used tissue to the nearby trashbin, which failed. He would have to clean up properly once his heat ended. But for now, he shall let his body rest before the drug wore down and his heat kicked up again. Yuuri sleepily closed his eyes, questioning when this suffering would end in his mind as he let the exhaustion took over.


	2. Victor Nikiforov: Alpha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to glowine, Kanekididnotdeserve, rayna99, Suzuran_Cigue for your comments, and for all your kudos. I haven't written in a long time so I was kind of anxious about posting this, but you guys have been so, SO kind. I will try to update this once weekly on Friday or Saturday.
> 
> Here's chapter 2. Hope you guys enjoy.
> 
> \---
> 
> "An alpha was born from the occurrence of one or two alpha genes. Although the gene itself was dominant—compared to beta and omega genes, the rareness of this gene resulted in the small number of their kind. Alpha gene was commonly connected with dominance and leadership and was valued very high in society."
> 
> \---

Victor Nikiforov was an alpha. He was born from a purebred alpha couple and was fated to be one. They knew of him being an alpha before they knew of his gender. And once he was born a beautiful and healthy, alpha baby boy, all that awaited him was the love and admiration. Just as such, Victor grew up pampered by the love, the adoration, admiration, and glorification from his surrounding, never feeling any lack of affection or attention.

_Because he was Victor Nikiforov. An alpha. A natural leader. A born winner._

That was what he had been taught and what he believed in all his life.

“Certainly there has bound to be a mistake in what you were saying.”

Victor did not know if it was the wall that was too thin or if he had unconsciously strained his ear, but he could hear his mother’s voice loud and clear.

It was just five minutes ago that Victor had woken up with a throbbing headache and a sickeningly sweet smell of lavender (A scent-masking aroma, he noticed). He looked around in a mild panic and found himself in a big, bright white room smelling of disinfectant and lavender. On the wall just above his head were buttons and devices he had seen before but knew nothing about; oxygen was written on one, vacuum on another, and at the end of row was a big yellow button with a white logo of a woman with a cap. He was in a hospital? _But how?_

“I’m afraid not, Madam.”

Came another voice from outside the room. The voice was deep and unfamiliar and strangely intimidating.

Victor would never fail to recognize his father’s laugh that came soon after, usually loud and full of confidence, but not this time. This laugh was timid and awkward and so unlike the father he had known. “You took the joke too far, Officer,” said Mr. Nikiforov. “My boy would never do such a thing.”

_Police?_ What was a police doing here?

“But yet, he did, Sir.”

“No, no, no, no,” Mrs. Nikiforov said in disbelief, talking more to herself than to the man in front of her. “Victor is an alpha. He couldn’t do such…vile things. With an _omega_ , for that matter.” The word ‘omega’ came out with such obvious disgust.

Victor noticed the change in the Officer’s voice. His words were polite, but the tone of his speech was cold and strict. “With all due respect, Ma’am, but the fact is that your son, Victor Nikiforov, violated his schoolmate and forced them to engage in a non-consensual sexual activity.”

Then it slowly came back to him.

_He was in the corridor, his breath was ragged and his body felt feverish. He had been running, but it was not why he was breathless. It was a different kind of restlessness. His mind was muddled and fogged with uncontrollable desire he knew he should not have. And yet, as if they had a mind of their own, his feet moved of their own will, bringing him closer to that sweet, sweet scent hanging in the air. He realized the other students had taken notice of that same scent, but their reactions were not the same as his. It was as if that scent was specially calling for him, for an **alpha**. It was urging him to come closer, to run faster. And as much as he wanted to turn away, he instinct told him to keep going. The scent was thicker and heavier and sweeter with each step he took and distance he lessened, and it was soon that he found the source of the scent. “Found you.”_

“Please pardon my wife, Officer. But what about the other party? Are they alright?”

**_This was wrong._ **

_They were small and weak, Victor somehow came to realize even with his mind fogged and his common sense lost. Victor would not consider himself huge or strong, but the way he easily pinned the omega down and the way the omega curled up beneath him made them appear smaller then they should be. Sweats trickled down their skin as the omega trembled in fear, emanating more and more of that scent of theirs in each drop. And **oh,** **did they smell good.**_

**_He should not be doing this._ **

_They were flailing and kicking and crying and begging with all the strength and the will they had left, but an omega in heat had very little strength to begin with and even less persuasion skill. The way their eyes gazed lustfully up at him despite the fear they showed, or the way their hands clenching on his sleeves despite their attempt to break free, or the way they rut their hips against his groin despite their cry for him to let go. They were clearly seducing him._

**_He should stop and turn and run and never look back._ **

_Yet his body betrayed all thoughts as he yanked the omega’s legs open and forcefully pushed himself into them, completely deaf to the cries of ‘No’s and ‘Stop’s, and lost himself to the alpha in him._

“They’re fine, for the most of it,” said the Officer. “However, I can’t say the same about their mentality. It’s fortunate that it was stopped before a bond was formed.”

_Victor had his teeth an inch away from the omega’s neck when he felt a yank on his neck and he was pried away from the omega with a sudden force. He turned his head in anger to look at his perpetrator, but instead his eyes were met with the ground as he was held down, hands restrained on his back._

_“I got him, Doctor.”_

_“Hold him down for a little longer. I’ll take care of the other student first. Please try not to breath in the scent too much. You might be wearing the mask, but it doesn’t annul the effect completely.”_

_The man above him nodded as the woman kneeled down beside the omega, taking out a small box from her coat pocket, and from it, a small syringe filled with yellowish fluid, which she injected into the omega. She then moved towards him, taking out another syringe (clear fluid this time, Victor noticed) and injected the medicine in one swift movement before Victor had the time to resist. It was soon that his body felt tired and heavy and he fell into a deep sleep._

Mrs. Nikiforov had been sobbing the whole time when she, in a sudden surge of anger, yelled, “It’s the omega’s fault in the first place! Why did they not take their medication? And how could they allow an omega to come into heat at school? How could they ruin my son’s future?” She broke out in tears.

Mr. Nikiforov had to calm his wife down before he started talking again. “We need to have a talk with their family, Officer. If you’d show us where they are, we’d like to give them an apology.”

Victor heard what seemed to be an approval, followed by footsteps getting further from him before they went out of hearing and silence fell over the room for the first time.

Victor rolled up the hospital gown’s sleeve, revealing the red and blue bruises on his wrists, left from the time the guard had held him down. It was not painful, but Victor could still remember the feeling of the man’s grip on his wrists. The guard had used his full strength on him and it just showed how much one had to use force to keep him from acting out his instincts.

Victor would like to convince himself that he was a rational man, but it appeared to have been proven otherwise. That was the first time he ever felt so lost, so out of control. And losing control of his own mind and body over his alpha instinct, it was as if he was a stranger of his own self. And he was scared.

No.

Victor Nikiforov never felt scared. He was not supposed to.

Because he was an alpha. A natural leader. A born winner…

…At least, that was what he had been taught and what he had believed in all his life.

But he knew better now.

He was Victor Nikiforov. An alpha. A _mere_ alpha. And as such, he was just a mere human.

 

*** *** ***

 

“You had better look for a better research topic if you want more sponsors.” 

Professor Yakov Feltsman sat on his seat, his strict eyes moved from the proposal on his desk to the man in front of him.

Victor put a questioning finger over his pouting lips. “Do you think so? But, Professor Yakov,” he said, “ ** _I_** think it’s a good topic. There haven’t been many researches studying about omegas and their heat. This can be the start of a new heat treatment. This research will make it big, I assure you.”

“Too much time and money needed, too little sample populations,” Yakov explained simply.

“Oh, don’t be so old-fashioned, Professor. All of those will be easily taken care of.”

“Are you saying that I’m old?” Yakov stood up from his seat, but stopped when he realized he had lost his professional composure. In fact, it had always been lost when it came to Victor. Yakov smoothed out his graying hair (or at least, what was left of it) and cleared his throat. “Think it over, Vitya. Your proposal is only going to fall through. You’re putting your name on stake if this research fails.”

Victor looked straight at Yakov. Two pairs of blue eyes locked, each studying the other for any signs of doubt or reluctance. However, both of them were stubborn and none decided to back down.

Then Victor sighed.

Yakov had been Victor’s tutor all throughout his years working in medical field. He had been his teacher in medical school and still was even after Victor achieved his professor title at a rather young age. He excelled Victor in both age and experience, and despite his strict expression and his harsh words, he always thought of what was best for his students. And truthfully, Victor thought of Yakov as his life aspiration (though he would never admit to it).

However, _this_ was something he could not give up.

Victor reached for Yakov’s hands, a sad smile on his face. “Thank you, Professor. You always give me the best advice I can get,” said Victor, looking at his teacher’s hands. The years of hardships, and the experiences and skills earned could be seen from those wrinkling pair of hands. Victor released those hands slowly and took his proposal off Yakov’s table. “But I’m sorry. I can’t do as you say this time. Good bye, Professor,” he said as he walked out the door.

Victor was already out of the room when Yakov finally yelled out his frustration.

“YOU CAN’T SAY THAT WHEN YOU’VE NEVER DONE AS I SAID IN THE FIRST PLACE!”


	3. Alpha and Omega

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for all the comments and kudos, Guys. <3
> 
> I was trying to proofread the 3rd chapter on the last minute when I decided I wasn't too happy with the result. I had to re-write almost half of the story in one night so I'm sorry if it seemed a bit rushed.
> 
> Genology is a fake term I came up with, by the way, so you won't find anything if you google it up. lol. I'm sorry.
> 
> \----
> 
> Genology (originated from Greek words génos meaning “gender”, “produce” and logia meaning “study of”) is a branch of medicine that deals with human second gender, their health, heat, and medical issues.
> 
> \----

When the short hand of the clock ticked to twelve, Celestino Cialtini was sitting in his office, alone and shoulder-deep in work as he went through the piles of documents on his desk. A proposal for nutrition staff training— _checked_ , a notice for the upcoming hospital accreditation— _checked_ , a submission for the accepted nursing staff applicants— _checked and approved_. The work was endless and Celestino wondered if this was going to be done anytime soon or if he had to skip lunch again. Celestino stretched in his seat and sighed. _Skip lunch again, it is._

Then came three rasp knocks on the door. At this point, Celestino, tired of having to deal with papers and in need for some socializing, would be happy with any kind of distraction. So he gave a “Come in,” feeling somewhat relieved at the thought of a short, yet welcomed interruption—which soon was not so welcomed any more when his assistant came in with another piles of papers in his hands.

His assistant competently explained each one of the documents before putting it on Celestino’s desk, creating a new pile of papers and work on the already-full table. He was on his explanation about the last document and was about done when he added, “And an email came in yesterday, asking if they can recruit some of our staffs for their research. They also sent along the research proposal, so I printed it out for you.”

Celestino took the printout and read the cover. “Professor Victor Nikiforov?”

*** *** ***  
Yuuri came back to work when his heat ended, feeling healthy and nervous as if it was his first day of school again. His heat had ended two days ago, but he had used the last two days of his leave to make sure no pheromone was left spread around and to let his body recover. Just as a precaution, he took his heat medication once daily and he had taken today's dose so it should be pretty safe. At least he thought so until a call for ‘Doctor Yuuri Katsuki to Human Resources Office’ was heard throughout the hospital.

Yuuri should have known something was strange when the Chief of Human Resources Department was calling for him first thing in the morning. Celestino wanting to meet him could only mean two things: he wanted to fire Yuuri (which seemed unlikely, but still a possibility) or someone filed a complaint of an omega doctor attending patients (which had happened unexpectedly quite a few times). Whichever one it was, Yuuri had no choice but to excuse himself from his post and strode heavily to the Human Resources Office, bracing himself for whatever might be coming his way.

When Yuuri said whatever, he never thought it would be in the form of a man. Yuuri did not remember there ever being a man this attractive in this hospital—or anywhere else he had been, actually. The soft, silver hair that was hiding his gorgeous face, his straight back and broad shoulder that was even more accentuated by his expensive suit, and the pale skin peeking from underneath—beautiful would be an understatement for him. This man was gorgeous, breathtaking, and too perfect for words. _Oh, for the love of God_ , Yuuri should really stop staring.

"Yuuri, this is Professor Victor Nikiforov, a specialist in Genology. I believe you’ve heard of him, yes?" Celestino, whose presence Yuuri had forgotten until a second ago, introduced Yuuri to the unknown man.

Yuuri’s eyes widened. _Victor Nikiforov?_ **_The_** Victor Nikiforov? The world-known researcher specializing in Genology? The one who suggested the Soul Bond theory? Heard about him? Yuuri read _all_ his researches, articles, and even textbooks. _Hell_ , he collected them. Professor Victor Nikiforov was, no, still _is_ his aspiration.

“I-I-I’m Yuuri Katsuki!” Yuuri almost yelled at the uncontainable excitement. “Pleased to meet you, Prof. Victor!”

Yuuri would have never thought of meeting the man of his admiration, not in this lifetime, not _ever_. But now that he was here, in front of Yuuri, _in flesh_ , he was nothing like Yuuri had thought he would be. Yuuri remembered the rare occasions where the publisher put a photo of a slightly untidy, bespectacled, bearded man on the biography page, looking perfectly suitable for the image of a professor, yet completely baffling when he finally saw the real thing. The real Victor Nikiforov had a strong presence, yet a soothing aura. He was flowing with confidence, but in no way was it over the top. And one thing that stood out above all was the way he smelled—sweet and musky and pleasant and Yuuri could not help but feel slightly dizzy in his head and warm in his chest.

"Yuuri?"

Celestino’s voice yanked him to reality and Yuuri realized he had been staring for far too long. Yuuri could feel his face reddened. "I-I-I'm sorry!" He stammered, eyes looking around for anything to look at except Victor's face. "It's just... you...that...you don't look as nerdy as your photos. Haha..." Yuuri slapped a hand over his mouth before he could sputter out any more stupid things.

How could he say that to a person he just met? Not to mention towards _the_ Victor Nikiforov, the one and only man of his admiration. What if Victor thought Yuuri was a rude newbie doctor who had no manner? He wished there was a hole he could crawl into.

Yuuri wondered if Victor took that rude remark as a compliment or if he was just good at handling people because he was _laughing_. And _oh,_ _God_ , even his voice was enthralling. "I usually wear my glasses when working, but I take them off most of the time. And I shaved this morning. I'm surprised you've seen those pictures. If I remember right, they only put it that photo in the first few editions of my books."

"I-I have all your books!" Yuuri exclaimed louder than he had planned to be.

"Oh, wow! Really? I’m flattered!" Victor said genuinely, eyes brightened. Then with no warning, he cupped the boy's cheeks in his hands. "Celestino, I like this boy. I'll take him."

"BWHA?!"

Celestino looked at the overly excited Victor then to the confused (but secretly happy) Yuuri, who glanced over at him with a 'please tell me what in the world is happening' expression, and shook his head. "Victor, I think we better explain the situation first.”

"Oh! That's true!" Victor said as if he had forgotten his reason of meeting Yuuri and released the boy's flushed face, but before Yuuri could let out a sigh of relief, he took Yuuri's hands in his and brought them up to his face. "Will you move in with me, Yuuri?"

"HUUUH?!"

Celestino slapped a hand on his face. _So much for an explanation._ Sighing, Celestino decided to take the explanation upon himself. “Yuuri,” Celestino started slowly. “Victor here is currently working on his research about omega’s heat cycle. He’s recruiting some staffs and would like you and Doctor Pichit Chulanont—you know him, right?—to be in his team. The research is mostly going to take place in St. Petersburg so if you accept, he’s more willing to provide you a room in his house.”

"That's right," Victor added. "I have some empty rooms in my house so it'd be no problem to let you and Pichit use one or two rooms. Some of the other team members are going to live there as well since it's closer to the hospital. How is it? Are you coming, Yuuri? Yuuri? Yuu~ri?"

Yuuri was standing, but not responding, eyes blank, mouth hanging slightly open, face red like a steamed pork. Victor stared at the unresponsive boy, then turned to Celestino.

"Was I too much?"

"Probably..."

Celestino wondered to himself if it was the right choice to leave Yuuri to Victor.

***** *** *****

Today was Yuuri's turn to attend to the outpatient clinic. He had five appointments for today and one of them was Minami Kenjiro for a control visit at 1 pm. The omega boy came right on time with his mother. A beta, Yuuri read on the patient's personal information.

Just like Yuuri, Minami came from a couple of beta parents. They were a normal, oblivious couple who had never thought of having children who were _not_ a beta. What they did not know, however, was that they were both carrier of an omega gene and when two omega genes met, an omega child was born.

Most people knew about their second gender when they first presented in their high school health examination. In most school, the examination took place in first grade and was targeted towards teenagers aged 15-16, which was the most common period for their hormonal peak before the omegas got their first heat and the alphas their first rut. Of course, there were some cases where they had to go through earlier examinations, but that was for special cases.

Minami had his first heat a little earlier than most omegas and before he ever got presented. He experienced his heat before he knew what he was, which might lead to some trauma, especially for someone who had been living his life as a beta. And it was Yuuri's job to keep this boy sane.

Minami, however, looked better than Yuuri had ever seen him. His smile was carefree and his eyes were bright. Without his heat, Minami was just like any other normal kids. Yuuri smiled at this kid's innocence.

"...one of my friends said I was like an X-men losing control of their power and it was cool I got through it just fine," Minami rambled on when Yuuri asked how friends have been treating him.

Yuuri nodded. The kid had one supportive friend, which was a good thing for his mentality. "Have you been feeling any differently?"

"Like what?"

"Anything. Maybe you eat a lot more than usual or you smell things differently..."

"Well, someone told me I smell strangely sweet," said the boy. "Which was weird because I didn't use cologne or eat anything sweet before."

Yuuri perked up at this bit of information. Pheromones often perceived as a sweet scent. Most of the time, it went unnoticed as it only came in very small quantity, but in a larger amount and to the right person, it would create a sweet smell. Yuuri flipped the papers on his flowchart. The laboratory examination from this morning showed no abnormality of Minami's pheromones. There was a slight increase, but not to the point of it being sensed. Unless the other person was an alpha in or at the beginning of their rut, which would put Minami at an imminent danger.

Or they were Minami's fated pair.

...

...no. No, he took that back.

Fated pair was an old theory. An unproven one, at that. It was observed that different alphas react differently to different omega’s pheromones. In every day social condition, it appeared as what was called ‘attraction’. Of course, alphas were genetically coded to react to omega’s pheromones, but a research conducted back in 1993 revealed that each alpha showed different levels of attraction to different omega pheromones, one more appealing and more irresistible than another. Then, a theory was born. What if—and that is _what if_ —there are an alpha and an omega whose pheromones match so well they cannot stay away from each other? An attraction will be born in a heartbeat. Or at least, that was what the theory suggested anyway. There were a few (a _very_ little few, in fact) alpha-omega pairs who admitted they believed they were fated pairs. However, with most of them having bonded with each other and the fact that a bonded alpha only reacts to their omega’s pheromone, this theory had been left unproven. And Yuuri could not use a yet proven theory as a reference.

Yuuri turned his attention back to the confused boy. "Alright, then. You're good for now. I found no abnormalities and you seem to cope with the whole situation nicely. Great job," said Yuuri, earning a proud grin from the younger omega. "For now, let's continue your oral medication in lower dosage. Take it once daily, one tablet every morning. You can stop the injection. And," Yuuri turned to the boy's mother. "Ma'am, what do you think about Kenjiro wearing a collar?"

Minami's mother, who had been left out throughout the examination, seemed somewhat taken aback at Yuuri's question. "C-collar?"

"Yes, it’s a kind of ring to put around Kenjirou's neck for protection in case some alpha tries to mark him."

"Is that really necessary?" The woman seemed skeptical, to which Yuuri responded with an understanding smile. Wearing a collar was basically a give away of her son's identity as an omega.

"It's just a prevention of some sort. Of course, there are other ways to prevent unwanted marking, though might not be as effective if not used regularly. There's a scent masking spray for starter. It's used just as you use cologne or perfume, spray it on the back of your neck, your armpits, your navel..."

"My navel?" Minami piped up, confused.

"Yes, those are the areas where your pheromones are most concentrated. Your groin as well." Yuuri pointed down at his own pants and chuckled when the boy gave an excited 'Ooh' at the new information. "The downside is, water and sweat will wipe away its effect so you have to spray it every few hours. Does that sound doable?"

"Hmm... I don't know." Minami scratched his neck, his eyes glancing over at his mother. "What do you think, Mom?"

Minami's mother gave an almost instant reply. "We'll take the spray."

"Alright, then. I'll prescribe one for you. If you ever feel dizzy using the spray, stop the usage and come see me. We might have to lower the concentration or choose other medicines. Anything you'd like to ask?"

When Minami shook his head and his mother answered with a quiet 'No,' Yuuri ripped the prescription paper cleanly and handed it to Minami's mother. Once the pair was out of the room, Yuuri stretched and breathed out the exhaustion he had been holding. That was his last appointment for the day. Now he could finally sit back and relax...

"Tired?"

...or not.

After their brief (mostly one-sided) introduction this morning, Celestino had explained in great detail about Victor's research and his intention of recruiting Yuuri as part of his research team. Yuuri was, as expected, getting a little too flustered, a bit too nervous, and much too doubtful at the offered proposition. He kept asking Victor 'Why' and saying that he could be looking for a much better person than him. Victor, however, was stubborn in his own way and would not change the decision he had come to nor would he budge until he got what he came for.

It was on Celestino's suggestion that they should spend a few days together to get used to each other and to come up with a decision benefitting them both, to which Victor immediately agreed and Yuuri, under the pressure of Celestino's stare, hesitantly complied. By the end of the discussion, Victor had been given the permission to tag along on Yuuri's counseling sessions and somehow had taken the part of being Yuuri's assistant for the day, which was a strange idea because if anything, it should be the other way around.

Professor Victor Nikiforov, or Victor, as he kept correcting Yuuri, walked into the room; two paper cups in his hands, one of which he offered Yuuri. Yuuri accepted the drink (coffee, he guessed from the smell) with nervous hands and a quiet 'thank you'. Victor smiled back a 'you're welcome' and took the seat across from Yuuri.

Victor took a slow sip off his own cup, noticing how Yuuri was holding the cups between his hands and looking down at his reflection on the coffee surface. "Do you dislike coffee?"

Yuuri jolted up. "Oh, no, no, I'm sorry. It's just..." He just took his heat medication and caffeine could lessen its effect. Yeah... he preferred not to bring up that topic. "I drank three cups of coffee this morning so taking another one might be bad for my stomach," he lied instead.

"Oh. Oh! I'm so sorry. I should've asked if you'd like one." Victor seemed guilty at his thoughtlessness. Then, scrunching his eyebrows in frustration, he scratched his head. "I was debating of what to get you, but thought I couldn't go wrong with a cup of coffee. Turns out I was wrong."

The image of Victor standing in front of a vending machine, contemplating on what drink to get for him felt funny in Yuuri's head and a chuckle escaped his mouth almost unconsciously. "No. I'm happy to get a drink from you, Prof--Victor." Yuuri corrected when he felt Victor's eyes on him. "Thank you. And I'm sorry for not being able to drink it."

Victor stared at Yuuri's smile. That was probably the first time Victor ever saw Yuuri smiled (the poor boy had far been too nervous around him for some unknown reason), and as amusing as it was, a smile suited Yuuri much better. Victor could not help but smile himself. "It's no trouble at all, Yuuri. And while we’re on that topic, do you mind if I drink your coffee instead? It’s such a waste of a good coffee."

“O-oh! Sure!”

“What’re you going to get for lunch, Yuuri? Are you going to the cafeteria?” Victor asked when he had finished his second cup of coffee and stood up to throw the empty cups to the nearest trash bin.

Yuuri rose up from his seat and checked the clock. It was 13 minutes past 4. He had done for the day. “No, I think I’ll go home and cook something myself.”

“That sounds good. Maybe I should do that as well.”

Yuuri would not have thought of Victor as someone who would cook, or do any household chores for that matter. Victor seemed rich enough to let the maids do all the dirty jobs. But perhaps, Yuuri was wrong.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where are you staying, Victor?”

Victor turned to Yuuri, a puzzled smile on his face. “Did Celestino not tell you?”

“Uh… no?” Or maybe he did, but Yuuri had been far too occupied with Victor to remember. _Was he supposed to know, though?_ Yuuri had a bad feeling about this, which soon was proven right.

“I’m going to stay at your place. I already had the hotel sent my stuff.”

“Oh, okay…”

…

“No, wait. WHAT?!”


	4. Defected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for skipping one week of the update. I'm currently in Taiwan for a 2-week student exchange program and in serious lack of internet.
> 
> But thanks for your patience, all your comments, and kudos, guys.
> 
> \---
> 
> Rapid Estrus Management Team (REMT) is a special team responsible for the acute management of omega estrus (heat). It may include, but not limited to doctors and nurses, all trained and certified in the Acute Estrus Management (AEM).
> 
> Acute Estrus Management (AEM) is a 2-week training course for health professionals to enhance their understanding in quickly identifying and effectively treating omega estrus (heat). The training includes learning on how to suppress one’s primal need for sexual intercourse in the presence of omega estrus by repeat exposure of concentrated synthetic pheromone in hope to build a resistance. The entrants’ behaviors are put under strict observation and if there is a sign of violent behavior, the entrant will be deemed fail.
> 
> \---

Celestino’s apartment was nothing like his workplace. With oak flooring, cream walls, and furniture of different shades of beige and teal, he liked to consider his place as somewhat more colorful than his office in the hospital where everything was grey and white and boring. There was a big wooden shelf stood beside the television, filled with collection of books of all kinds that was somehow managed to be kept organized. The dark wood coffee table was clean and spotless, with no piles of work or scattered papers or books lying around, not even the round marks left by glasses or cups because Celestino would immediately wipe them to nonexistent when he saw them. Celestino’s apartment was tidy and clean and comfortable, it was his place for some quiet and peace, where there was no rush or pressure from work. As such, he liked to keep it that way by keeping his work separate from his private life and away from home, never letting any work into his little sanctuary.

Yet, despite the untouched cleanliness of his apartment, his mind was muddled with the remembrance of the decision he had made earlier that day, the guilt and the confusion that came along with it.

_When the Professor had requested to meet the candidates Celestino had recommended, Celestino had not thought of him being so charismatic. He was young and good-looking, with a pleasant smile and a bright friendliness that seemed almost plastic, like it had been practiced and perfected through years of experience. However, even his cheerful façade could not hide his sharp gaze, his strong presence, and his undeniable dominance above others, and for the first time, Celestino understood how much value the status of an alpha held._

_“Do you have any reason for recommending these four, Celestino?” Victor sat on the sofa across from Celestino, legs crossed, eyes concentrated on the list of names Celestino had just given him._

_“Well,” Celestino started. “For starter, they’re part of our Rapid Estrus Management team and all four are certified in the Acute Estrus Management training. Since you’ll also be dealing with omega during their heat, I think they’ll do good.” Rapid Estrus Management team (REMT) was a team of physicians and nurses responsible for omega patients who come into heat and in need of immediate treatment, all of which had a certification in Acute Estrus Management training. Due to the level of difficulty in the training and the low number of omegas in the overall population (and thus, low demand of this certification), not many health professionals took this training, and even less of those who passed it. In their hospital, the team consisted of four physicians, three betas and one omega—Yuuri Katsuki. When Victor gave a thoughtful ‘I see’, Celestino continued, “My assistant has informed them about this. The three of them should be here soon. Unfortunately, the fourth one is currently on leave and should only start working next Monday. He’s a fan of yours, Professor, so I’m sure he’ll be happy to be working under you.”_

_A simple “Oh?” was the only thing Victor said in response, with a neutral smile and calm eyes, never raising an eyebrow in questioning or showing even a hint of uncertainty. It was as if he understood the whole thing that was happening. Or maybe he did, because with the same unreadable smile and the same unfazed look in his eyes, he said, “Him being on leave…I don’t suppose it’s a monthly thing?”_

_It was, except it was once every three months instead of every month, and Celestino was not sure if he could or if he should be the one to say anything regarding this matter. Two days ago, Yuuri had been sent home due to the early onset of his heat. Pichit, his partner for the night shift who also happened to be one of the REMT, had seen him stumbling around the hospital before finding him collapsed in the on-call room. The situation had been dealt with nice and quick that it might not seem much of a big deal now that the actual event had passed. However, it had earned quite some complaints and raised more than just a few questions regarding an omega working in a professional setting. Celestino was contemplating whether to disclose this bit of information, but his silence had given Victor the answer he needed._

_“Say, Celestino,” said Victor. “Will you do me a favor?”_

Celestino lowly cursed himself at the remembrance. When e had agreed to Victor’s request almost immediately in the flow of the moment. He should have known, at that moment, that the look in Victor’s eyes was not that of someone looking for a mere research partner, the piercing stare that seemed ever-knowing, ever-watching like a hunter watching its prey. The man was searching for something. But what was he aiming for? Or _who?_

Biting his lip, Celestino stood up from his seat and took his phone off the coffee table as he proceeded to make a call.

*** *** ***

“Woof!”

Of all the things Yuuri would not like Victor to know, he just had to forget about his dog. Victor—or Vicchan, as Yuuri usually called him—was a poodle Yuuri had gotten when he found out about Victor’s pet dog in an interview. Yuuri had just started living alone at that time and thought a pet would be a perfect companion. It was not hard for him to decide on a specific breed of dog and it seemed only natural for him to name it after his life inspiration, too.

At least, until the two Victors met.

“Aww, you have a dog? What’s its name?”

_Victor. I named him after you._ “Vicchan!” In a fluster, Yuuri’s answer was immediate and louder than he had intended to be. “His name is Vicchan.”

“Nice to meet you, Vicchan. I’m Victor.” Victor held out a hand to pat the poodle, and was greeted back with a bark, a light tackle, and some enthusiast lickings from the small poodle. Victor crouched down on the floor, letting Vicchan rested on his lap and gave the dog a scratch behind the ear. A soft smile appeared on his face when Vicchan gave an affectionate whimper. The sight brought a smile to Yuuri’s face as Celestino’s words came back to him.

_It was an hour ago that Celestino had called Yuuri, explaining about the sudden living arrangement and how it came to be under Victor’s request. When Victor had asked if he could stay in “his future research partner’s place instead of the lonely hotel room” as he worded it, Celestino had offered him a room in his own place instead, but Victor was stubborn and unbending and somehow had canceled his hotel room reservation (“When did he do that?” Celestino had wondered), leaving Victor with no place to stay and Celestino with no choice to choose other than allowing him in Yuuri’s apartment. Celestino had apologized over the phone, telling Yuuri he was free to refuse and that Celestino could try talking the Professor out of it had it been too much for Yuuri too handle or if things got out of hand._

_Yuuri, however, had been surprisingly calm when he answered, “It’s okay, Celestino.”_

_Celestino doubted his ear. Yuuri had never been this calm before and hearing his voice so unusually unflustered, he was sure Yuuri had not been listening to his explanation or Yuuri had broken down again. “Are you sure?”_

_Yuuri was not, but was even unsure if it was bad to refuse such a simple request or if he even wanted to refuse at all. Victor, after all, was someone he had admired for a long time, and despite his better judgment, Yuuri did wish to spend some time with the object of his admiration, if only for a little bit, and even if that would mean putting himself in a risk of being attacked. And anyway, his heat had just ended a few days ago and should not be coming for another three months, and Victor was a certified physician in estrus management and thus, capable in suppressing his rut, so allowing Victor to stay for a few days should not hurt. With that reasoning in mind, Yuuri answered instead, “Yeah, I’m sure.”_

_Celestino was not convinced, but decided to let it go with another “Are you sure?” and a “Call me if anything happens” before reluctantly cutting the call off._

Even after an hour had passed, Yuuri was still repeating his and Celestino’s conversation in his mind, wondering to himself if he had made the right choice and if he still had the chance to take his words back. What if his heat had not actually ended and his pheromone soared up again? What if Victor was not as trained as he had thought? Other million if-s crossed Yuuri’s mind, but it all immediately died down when Vicchan’s show of affection became more vicious and Victor had himself pushed down the floor that Yuuri had to hurriedly pry the dog off Victor in a panic. Upon seeing the Professor’s face drenched in his dog’s saliva, Yuuri repeatedly bowed down an apology, offering the Professor a box of tissue to wipe his face with, which Victor laughed off with a heartfelt laugh and an affectionate ruffling of the puppy’s head. Vicchan barked and wagged his tail back in fondness.

“You know,” said Victor, “I also have a poodle back home. His name’s Makkachin. Vicchan looks just like a mini version of him.”

That was because Yuuri had gotten Vicchan with the exact same thought in mind, but there was _no way_ he could tell Victor that, so instead he gave a dry laugh in response. “A-anyway,” said Yuuri hurriedly before Victor could ask further about Vicchan, “Let me show you your room, Victor. You must be tired. Please take a bath while I prepare dinner then you can rest straight away.”

“Actually,” said Victor, “I have something better in mind.”

*** *** ***

If there was one thing Yuuri agreed with Celestino, it was the fact that Victor was, indeed, peculiar. From all Victor’s works and all his interviews, Yuuri had imagined Victor of being smart, brilliant, and mature. Well, Victor _was_ smart and brilliant, all right. But mature was probably not the right word to describe him. Victor was full of childish curiosity. He liked to explore, to learn, to know everything about the things he took an interest in, a virtue suited of a professor.

And as such, Yuuri and said Professor, all clean and filled up after a bath and dinner, were now in the middle of playing a 50-question game (“Isn’t it supposed to be only 21?” Yuuri had said, which Victor shushed nonchalantly with a “Don’t sweat the small things”) for reasons Yuuri had asked but wished he had not.

“I’m courting you,” Victor had answered with a charming smile and a flirtatious wink, then he added, “Oh, I meant for the research.”

Victor Nikiforov: smart, brilliant, has an endless amount of curiosity, and flirtatious by nature. Yuuri made a mental note in his head to be careful of his smooth advances.

“How old are you?” Victor asked.

_Pretty basic question_. “I’m 25. How about you?” Yuuri had known the answer to his question (thanks to the author biography page in all his books), but he did not want to appear like a creepy stalker, so he decided it was safer to return the question.

“Thirty, gonna be 31 in a few months. What’s your favorite color?”

“Blue.” Was he seriously asking him that? Yuuri thought, but had apparently said aloud because Victor answered with a, “Yeah,” and “My turn”. _Wait, what?_

“Where are you from?”

Yuuri was confused, but answered anyway, “Japan. I was born in Hasetsu. It’s a small town so you probably never heard of it.”

“But I have, in fact.”

“Really?”

“Really. I travel a lot so I came to like memorizing names of places I could find in the map,” Victor said with a smile, then, “My turn again!”

_Wait a minute…_ “Uh… Isn’t it supposed to be my turn?”

“Nope. You asked, ‘Really?’ and I answered, so it’s my turn again,” explained Victor, grinning mischievously. “Oh, and by the way, you owe me one extra question.”

Yuuri was getting where this was going and he was speechless. The thought of a 30-year-old world-known professor playing question game was funny enough. But Victor went beyond Yuuri’s expectation and played a prank so childish Yuuri was wondering if he really was the same person who wrote all those level 1 researches. It was stupid and strange and childish and silly, and Yuuri could not help but laugh.

_Fine._ If that was how he wanted to play, then so be it.

The game continued with Yuuri being careful not to ask unintentional questions, Victor repeatedly trying to coax him into doing so, and Yuuri trying to take revenge on him. The Q&A had somehow turned into a battle of wits (a really silly one, actually, Yuuri thought) and Yuuri swore if someone saw them right now, the only thing they would question was Yuuri and Victor’s mental age.

And yet, they enjoyed it. Victor was pouting when Yuuri outwitted him, Yuuri became depressed when he fell into Victor’s trap yet again, and both of them were laughing and playing around and enjoying each other’s company so much that Yuuri had unconsciously, but not uncomfortably, let his wall down. Victor’s questions were becoming more and more personal, such as why Yuuri named his dog ‘Vicchan’ (and Yuuri had to answer them honestly, so yes, Victor now knew), or what type of underwear he prefers (“For reference,” Victor had said), or if he had a lover. But Yuuri answered them quite easily, much to his own surprise.

They were on question thirty-seven when Yuuri was out of idea of what to ask. He had known about Victor’s age (“30.”), his hometown (“St. Petersburg for as long as I can remember.”), his family (“Two parents, one dog, no siblings.”), his dog Makkachin (“The cutest, most loyal, bundle of happiness.”), his lack of lover (“I always get dumped. I don’t understand why.”), even his underwear preference (“Briefs,” said Victor without Yuuri asking). What else did he want to know about Victor? Well, _a lot,_ actually, but he did not know how to word it without being weird or looking like some kind of hardcore fanboy, which he probably was. However, above all other things he wanted to ask, there was one thing that kept him wondering.

“Come on. Just ask anything, Yuuri,” Victor urged, grinning his heart-shape smile which Yuuri had come to see a lot, but still could not get used to.

Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. “Uh… Victor,” Yuuri started, “You…why are you picking me?”

“Hm?”

“For your research,” Yuuri continued. “I heard from Celestino. You picked me and Dr. Pichit out of the four members of the REMT. I can understand Dr. Pichit, but why me?”

“What do you mean why?” Victor asked back, cocking his head with a confused smile. “You’re smart, you’re skilled, you’re certified in the AEM, you’re the one _I_ choose.”

_Smart? Skilled?_ That was probably the first anyone ever said that to him, and Yuuri did not think he deserved that either. He might be hardworking, but in nowhere was he smart. He was not skilled, he was just so used to doing something that it had been ingrained in his muscle memory. And yet, Victor _did_ choose him. _Why?_

“B-but I’m an omega.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you’re worrying about? Only that?”

It was not _only that._ It was _never_ only that for Yuuri. Being an omega changed everything, how people looked at him in disdain, how they treated him as if he was the last choice, how every three months he had to deal with his need, shame, guilt, and anxiety at the same time— _everything_. Yuuri knew all of it too well, he experienced that, he _lived_ that.

But Victor…Victor was an alpha. He was respected, admired, and glorified by others. He was always the one under the spotlight, the one leading, the one winning. And the one whose position Yuuri could never understand…

“…what does an alpha know?” Yuuri found himself saying, voice no louder than a whisper, but he could feel the envy and hatred flowing over his heart and seeping out of his mouth, bitter and concentrated in every word, like a poison which he knew he should not say because he could hurt not only others, but himself too. And Yuuri knew he should stop speaking, but instead, he continued, “What do you know about being treated as something defected? About being judged because you’re the lowest in the food chain, yet even more so when you try to climb yourself up? I…” Yuuri stopped at that, words stuck in his throat as he felt the tears welling up in his eyes, so he closed his eyes and looked down.

“What if I do?” came Victor’s voice, calm and neutral, yet sharp and short. The light-hearted friendliness in his voice was gone and replaced with a hardness of its own. “About being defected and judged…what if I do understand?”

“How?” Because how could he understand the feeling of the lesser when he had always been on the _top_?

“By being that same defective being,” he answered and Yuuri kept his eyes down because he was afraid of meeting Victor’s eyes and seeing his expression. His voice was calm, but was he really? “Yuuri,” Victor continued, “I’m an alpha who lost my sense of smell.”


End file.
